Spring into decking maintenance

Here we are, warmer weather in place with more coming soon, all with the promise of green grass, flowers, and budding trees coming to mind. Yes it’s time to say, “I told you so”!For those who procrastinated on deck maintenance (and blamed it on the Mayan calendar) your time has come.

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By Rob Kinsey

Sturgis Journal - Sturgis, MI

By Rob Kinsey

Posted Mar. 22, 2013 at 12:00 PM

By Rob Kinsey

Posted Mar. 22, 2013 at 12:00 PM

About the House

Here we are, warmer weather in place with more coming soon, all with the promise of green grass, flowers, and budding trees coming to mind. Yes it’s time to say, “I told you so”!

For those who procrastinated on deck maintenance (and blamed it on the Mayan calendar) your time has come.

With the threat of (most) foul weather behind us for a while and the promise of nice days ahead, it’s time to pay the piper for letting all that maintenance go while waiting for the end of the world.

Don’t allow faulty construction and maintenance ruin your day. Take time early this spring to do a thorough inspection of your deck. Look over the decking boards for any rot, splits, cracks, or sags.

A good place to start: Think about all that company you’ll invite to spend time on the deck eating grilled dogs and burgers. Sure, give some thought to getting the buns and charcoal, but remember to check the deck for safe conditions.

Millions of decks have been built over the past few decades, and thousands of them have been built wrong. Hundreds (if not thousands) have collapsed, causing scores of deaths and hundreds of injuries.

Check everything. Check the rails and posts for looseness or give when wiggled. Does it feel like you can pull it apart with your bare hands?

Think about running and smacking into the rail: Will it hold you safely back, or let you fall to the ground below?

If possible get under the deck and look at the framing closely. You’re looking for any type of rot, splits and cracks here, too, as well as joints coming loose, fasteners coming loose, and rust from the fasteners.

One common area for deck failure is when the treatment of the wood is not compatible with the fasteners used to build it. Sometimes corrosion from chemical treatments can take fifteen years or more to do its dirty deed. This can consist of rotting the nails, screws and even the larger bolts completely through.

Damage can even occur to galvanized fasteners coated specifically for outdoor use.

The proper match of fastener treatment to wood treatment is critical. Sometimes it only takes a couple of seasons for weather to destroy the fasteners so even newer decks can often have a serious problem.

Spending some time with this type of checkup will pay great dividends. If in doubt, call a trained inspector to look it over. What with the Mayans being wrong, you will want that deck to last a long time, and give many years of safe usage About the House.

Rob Kinsey has been a licensed builder for 30 years and is a home inspector with nearly 20 years of experience.